Mercedes AMG GLC 43: A fusion of performance and practicality

The Mercedes AMG GLC 43, equipped with a 48-volt hybrid engine, impresses with its dynamic performance and powerful acceleration during a test drive session.

Mercedes AMG GLC 43 SUVs driving on a circuit at the AMG Speedway in Yongin, Gyeonggi. [MERCEDES-BENZ KOREA]

[TEST DRIVE]

YONGIN, Gyeonggi — A dynamic-driving car disguised as an SUV? Is it possible?

Why not, Mercedes asks back with its latest AMG GLC 43, introduced to Korea in April as the line's first fully revamped model in eight years.

AMG, an in-house performance division of Mercedes similar to BMW's M and Hyundai Motor's N, has added a 48-volt hybrid engine to the car to improve both performance and efficiency.

The Korea JoongAng Daily recently took the wheel of the Mercedes AMG GLC 43 for a circuit drive at the AMG Speedway in Yongin, Gyeonggi.

Interior of the Mercedes AMG GLC 43 [MERCEDES-BENZ KOREA]

Engines howled and the body lurched forward as I hit the accelerator quite harshly to push the speed to the max.

At the heart of the SUV lies a 2-liter (2-quart) four-cylinder engine, a significant shift from the previous model’s 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine, in addition to the 48-volt mild hybrid system. The SUV generates up to 421 horsepower and 51 kilograms-meter of torque. It takes 4.8 seconds to reach from zero to 100 kilometers per hour.

“It is the most powerful series-production four-cylinder engine in the world, under Mercedes’ ‘one-man, one engine’ philosophy where each engine is hand-assembled by a single engine builder,” said Kilian Thelen, vice president of product, marketing and digital business at Mercedes-Benz Korea, told the press during the test drive session.

Thelen was right: The GLC, even with the hybrid system, hasn't lost its power. Even a soft push on the accelerator sent the car to 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour very fast, to the extent that I didn't even realize I'd reached that speed.

Interior of the Mercedes AMG GLC 43 [MERCEDES-BENZ KOREA]

The car also stopped reliably and smoothly, even when the brake was pressed very suddenly.

However, while the new GLC maintained its performance, it seems to have lost its quietness. The previous six-cylinder GLC was known for keeping its internal volume low, but the latest model makes more noise when driving at high speeds.

I did find that the drive could've been smoother. Six-cylinder cars usually rev lower than four-cylinder cars and feel smoother at full power.

But Mercedes, overall, succeeded in accomplishing its intention of making the car a good option for regular road drivers.

The test drive started on a short, crooked mountain road. The GLC smoothly passed the course, even though one might expect its larger size its larger size — its length has increased by 80 millimeters (3 inches) and wheelbase by 15 millimeters from the previous models — to make such a feat more difficult.

The rear of the Mercedes AMG GLC 43 SUV at the AMG Speedway in Yongin, Gyeonggi. [SARAH CHEA]

The experience lent credence to Thelen's characterization of the GLC as the “best choice for Korean consumers who want a car giving fun both at the track or in a city.”

The sticker price of GLC AMG starts at 99.6 million won ($72,350), some 22 million won pricier than the standard model.

Korea is Mercedes’ fifth largest market in terms of AMG models. A total of 6,690 were sold last year, a 110 percent surge from 2017.

Mercedes recently introduced the AMG S63 E Performance in Korea, the first plug-in hybrid model under the performance brand. It is the most powerful S-Class product, generating up to 802 horsepower.

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]